The American Red Cross
will recognize The Citadel and the South Carolina Corps of Cadets for
outstanding dedication to the Charleston community at 11:15 a.m. Thursday,
February 14, 2002, on Summerall Field.

The entire 1,900-member
Corps will be on hand when the Red Cross honors the college and its students
for helping patients in local hospitals through the apheresis (platelet)
and whole blood donation programs. The Citadel has earned the distinction
of being the area's most supportive organization of the platelet donation
program.

Six times each academic
year more than 100 cadets donate blood at The Citadel, averaging 150 units
per blood drive.

"By
collecting approximately 900 units of blood per year, the cadets have
saved thousands of lives," said Steve Maness, executive director
of the South Carolina Region of the American Red Cross. "We are very
proud of the cadets for giving of themselves to support those in need
and would like to recognize that dedication by presenting them with two
awards."

In
honor of Valentines Day this year, 45 cadets donated platelets, making
the college the most supportive Charleston organization of the Red Cross
apheresis program.

On
Thursday, Citadel President Maj. Gen. John S. Grinalds will accept the
first of two awards the Red Cross will give The Citadel. The award recognizes
the cadets and their outstanding commitment to the apheresis program.

The
second award will honor The Citadel and its cadets for their outstanding
support of blood drive sponsorships. Accepting the award on behalf of
the Corps of Cadets will be Regimental Commander Cadet Col. Bobby Cox,
Cadet Master Sgt. Paul Steketee, human affairs NCO, and Cadet Capt. Toshika
Hudson, commander of Lima Company. Cadets of Lima Company donated the
most blood this school year.

Apheresis
donations, commonly referred to as platelet donations, differ from whole
blood donations. The end product from an apheresis donation is platelets
and plasma. The entire donation process takes up to two hours.

Platelets
are what cause blood to clot. Platelet transfusions are used by some cancer
patients to prevent the risk of life threatening internal bleeding. They
also are used during trauma cases and surgeries.

The
Red Cross led the Valentine's campaign with Blanche Darby Florist, the
American Cancer Society, MUSC's Hollings Cancer Center and WCBD Channel
2 to support the apheresis program. For each new donor who attempted to
donate platelets between January 19 and February 13, Blanche Darby Florist
agreed to present a rose to a cancer patient at the Hollings Cancer Center
on Valentines Day.

"The
significance of The Citadels participation can be equated to supplying
10 days worth of platelet transfusions for a patient undergoing a bone
marrow transplant, based on an average need of four transfusions a day,"
Maness said. "Thank you, Citadel, for giving life this Valentines
Day."